Description
This simple comfort food is a one dish medley of lentils and rice and a classic dish from my childhood.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup dried orange/red split lentils (masoor dal)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ? cup rice (preferably kala jeera)
- 1 tablespoon ginger-cumin-coriander paste (page 14)
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 3 or 4 green chilies, slit halfway lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pan put the red lentils and about 3 cups water and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add the turmeric and simmer for about 20 minutes.
- Add the rice, 3 more cups water, ginger-cumin-coriander paste, green chilies, sugar, and salt and simmer for about 25 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally. The rice and lentil mixture should be a porridge-like consistency (add more water if too thick).
- While this is cooking, heat the oil in a wok or skillet and add the onion and cook on medium heat until soft and pale golden.
- Stir the onions into the rice and lentil mixture and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro.
- Heat the ghee in a small skillet and add the cumin seeds and cook for about 40 seconds until the cumin seeds darken and turn fragrant.
- Pour the spice mixture over the rice and lentils.
- Stir lightly and serve the mixture hot.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins